In My Place
by Bridgy
Summary: Loki has his eye's set on Rae, a childhood friend and someone he can relate to. After hearing about her falling ill, Loki is determined to save her at all cost, even if it means putting his own life in danger. He uses dark magic to try and save her life. The out come of this dark magic can only be lifted if she feels the same way about him though. It's all a game of chance now.


**This one shot was requested by and written for a girl on Quizilla. I've been finding myself writing a lot of Loki one shots lately. Not that I mind. I actually find it be a fun challenge ^^ Enjoy~**

Rain. The sound of it always calmed her so easily. Her name is Rayne Mikaelson, or better known as just Rae. Twenty-six years of age and she didn't look a day over twenty it seemed like. Her fair skin and long, dark wavy hair (usually kept in a pony tail) were probably the reasons why she looked younger than what she was. Rae's eye's were something interesting, though. One red and the other green, in other words, she has heterochromia.

Rae was far from being the delicate type though. Her father was once an Asgardian warrior, but he was slain in battle and her mother died unexpectedly when she was three so she was brought to an orphanage but never adopted. As Rae grew up she became an introvert...a wall flower, until she felt comfortable anyway. She was also very brave and clever, despite the fact that she was quiet more than half the time.

Because of who her parents were, Rae was able to use certain abilities, powers that no one else could master. She was good at controlling the air around her and even the breath of her enemy's. She never like to use that technique though. She was also able to use a certain amount of healing, but because she was not of pure Asgardian blood, her use of healing magic was unfortunately limited. And because of who she was and how she had grown up, Rae felt like an outsider, that was until she met Loki. She always seemed to like him. There was just something that pulled her to him. He was mysterious, calm, clever and strong. With Loki around she felt like she belonged. He gave her a reason to feel that way.

Rae put her blue leather bound book down and looked to the window which she sat by and watched the rain slid down the glass window. It was a gloomy day and she was spending her time inside. She sipped on her warm tea and little candies laying next to her. She watched as the flowers bobbed their heads every time a droplet of rain fell on them.  
"Enjoying the rain?" Rae turned to see who was at the door and she smiled. It was Loki.  
Rae nodded once. "It's nice." she told him.  
Loki walked the rest of the way into the room and sat down next to her. "How many times are you going to read that book?" he asked her.  
Rae smiled and rolled her eyes at him. "It is a good book. Besides, I'm sure you have favorites too." she was about ready to open her book again until Loki snatched it away from her. "Hey!" she said.  
Loki kept it just out of reach from her and flipped through the pages. "Oh. Hmmm. Interesting." he grinned. "A love story."  
Rae blushed. "So what?"  
Loki handed her book back to her. "Nothing." he said.  
Rae gave him a look as in, 'don't take my book again, you butt head.' and she set it down beside her. She took up her cup of tea and sipped the rest of it.

Loki eyed her up and down and then suddenly asked. "Do you sill have that necklace I gave you?"  
Rae turned her attention towards Loki again. "Oh...yes, I do. Why do you ask?"  
"I never see you wearing it anymore."  
Rae raised a brow at him. "Does that upset you?"  
"No."  
"Well, to be honest," Rae started. "I like to keep some of my most favorite things nice. And I still wear it...only on special occasions."  
"Then I guess you should go put it on."  
Rae gave him a puzzled look. "Why? Is something going on today?"  
Loki shrugged at first. "Nothing too fun for Asgard, but I myself have something special planned."  
"Oh?" she was interested now.  
Loki nodded twice and stood up. "You should put your silly romance novel away and go get it. Meet me by the tree."  
"But it's raining outside!" Rae started to protest.  
Loki laughed a bit. "Just trust me on this." he told her. "You'll be glad you did." with that said and done Loki left and Rae was left to ponder in thought.  
"Meet him by the tree?" Rae wondered aloud. Then it hit her. "OH! Where we first met!" Indeed, that was the place Loki was talking about. Why on earth did he want her to go there? Rae sighed and picked up her things, getting ready to meet Loki outside, even if it was raining.

As Rae was getting dressed, putting on more comfortable and suitable clothes to wear outside her bedroom she stopped, suddenly becoming very dizzy. She rested her palms on her dresser and looked at her reflection in the mirror. As Rae started to cough she felt a hot liquid shoot up from her lungs and out of her mouth. Blood splattered on the mirror. She only caught part of it with hand. Rae started to tremble in fear, her breaths getting faster, her head spinning more and more. She felt herself loosing consciences and started falling, hitting her head on the corner of her dresser.

The next thing Rae saw she was looking up at her ceiling, laying in bed. Her head ached and her throat felt sore. A servant was there to take care of her. "What happened?" Rae asked.  
The servant got up from where she was sitting and said with a sad yet sweet expression on her face, "You had a bit of an accident."  
"Is she alright?" boomed a voice.  
Rae looked to her left and saw Thor walking in fast, a worried look on his face. "Your job here is done." he said to the servant and she left. Thor took a seat next to her bed side and grabbed her hand. "Rae...I heard what happened and came quickly as I could."  
"What happened." she repeated.  
Thor sighed. "You're...sick."  
Rae rolled her eyes. "Oh great. How long do I have to stay in bed now?"  
Before Thor could answer her another voice cut in. "I'll take it from here, brother." Loki popped his head up above Thor's broad shoulders and looked down at Rae.  
Thor seemed a bit hesitant. He stood up, facing Loki. "Brother..."  
Loki shook his head. "You're not the one to tell her." he said. Thor only nodded and looked to Rae and giving her a small smile before leaving.

Loki took the seat next to Rae and the two of them sat there in silence for a while. Rae would sigh from tim-to-time, looking back and forth from Loki to the ceiling. Loki kept his gaze on one spot the whole time. It would seem he was deep in thought. "So what's the matter?" she finally asked. Loki said and did nothing. "I'm dying, huh?"  
Finally Loki looked at her, the same expression on his face. "When you say it like that it seems as if it's no big deal."  
"Does that make me terrible?" she half joked.  
"This is serious, Rae." Loki was not amused  
Rae sighed and rolled her eyes again. "So talk to me about it!"  
Loki sat up straighter in his seat. "I did some research years ago...when I first met you. It's not unusual for a child to lose their parent's at a young age, but for some reason I found you so interesting." Rae was glad to hear this. "After a few months of knowing you I looked into who you really were and who your parent's were."  
"And...?" Rae said.  
Loki was about to grab Rae's hand but stopped himself and placed his hands back on his lap. "Your father died like many others and you would think, being a daughter of as Asgardian worrier you would fall during battle, but...when I looked up your mother...I found out the cause of her death." he took a breath. "Rae...your mother died of what you have now. It was unexpected. No one saw it and I doubt she did either."  
Rae was not only shocked but pissed off all of a sudden. Why was Loki telling her this now? And why didn't he tell her before all this? "Why...are you telling me this?" tears forming in her eyes. "Loki...?"  
"I can't let you die. I won't let it happen." he suddenly said. He bent over and grabbed her hand. They were so cold. "You're going to be just fine, Rae."  
A few tears fell as she looked at Loki, her bottom lip trembling. "Impossible..."  
"I will talk to my father." Loki said. "Till then you stay strong. I will be back."

Rae didn't sleep while Loki was gone. She stared up at her ceiling feeling scared and alone. She squeezed the hand Loki held and cried some more. His hands were so warm and she missed his touch already. She wondered what Loki was going to tell her under that tree. Maybe she'll never know? Just as she was starting to think Loki would never came back he quietly slipped into her room and walked quickly to her bed side. "I was beginning to think you'd never come back." Loki was about to say something but Rae started to cough again and Loki held her head up so that she wouldn't choke on her own blood. He knew it was going to happen. He held out his hand and Rae coughed up blood on Loki's hand. It was already getting worse. "Rae," Loki said, taking his hand back wiping the blood off with a near-by towel the servant brought in. "Remember the tree?"  
Rae looked tired as she laid her head back down. "Yes..." she said slowly.  
"Do you still want to go there?"  
Rae was a little confused. "Why? I need to rest."  
"It'll be worth it, I promise."  
Rae shook her head. "No, Loki. Maybe later."  
Loki needed to come up with something that would peek her interest in wanting to go. "Do you want to hear what I was going to tell you?"  
Rae nodded. "Yes...but you can tell me here."  
"Don't worry, I can carry you. You won't get tired at all."  
Rae sighed and smiled a little. "Well...alright." she said.  
Loki smiled back and picked her up bridal style. "The rain as let up some. It's just a light drizzle and the sun is peaking out from the clouds. You'll love it."

As Loki walked Rae to the tree she kept coughing from time-to-time. Loki was worried about her and after talking to Odin and hearing that this sickness was something no magic could cure only slow down the process, Loki was bound and determined to figure out another way. And he did know another way, but that meant putting his own life in danger. He was not ready to anyone that any time soon though. "Here we are." he spoke softly. Rae had almost fallen asleep in his arms.

She looked up and saw the giant tree looming over her, it's branched and leaves were wet from the rain. She wanted to reach out and touch them but she was too weak. Loki walked under the tree with Rae, most of the long branches covering them so no one would be able to see them. He knelt down with Rae still in his arms, the grass being dry with the help from the many leaves. "Rae...Look at me." he said. Rae turned her attention toward Loki, waiting for him to speak. "I wish cheating death were possible."  
"What are you saying?" she asked him.  
Loki stroked back some of her hair. It was then when Rae realized her hair was down. She was so out of it she had no idea what was going on half the time. "What I am about to tell may not make sense right now, but that's ok. If I know how you really feel then I will not fail at this."  
Rae furrowed her brows. "What...?"  
"To keep you alive, you will take my place."  
"Loki...this isn't what you were going to tell me, was it?" she questioned him. "I want to hear what you were going to say." she reached up to touch his face and Loki grabbed her hand . "I want to tell you something too." she told him. Before she could say another word she started to cough again. Loki held on to her tightly, her body shaking and heating up. Blood spat out of her mouth, some of it getting on Loki face and on his clothes.  
"Rae...?" Loki wiped the blood from her mouth, her eye's staring up at him. Silence. "Rae...?" he said softer this time. Loki powerful emotions coming over him. he let go of her and it fell limp at her side.

With a trembling hand Loki touched Rae's face once more, her cheek cold. The look in her beautiful eye's growing dark. A droplet of water fell on her face. At first Loki thought that it might have been rain but then he realized that it was his tear. Loki had to act now it he wanted to save her. He was sure her soul had not yet left her body. He spoke, "In my place, I give you my life, in hopes that you will return mine when you remember me after waking from your short slumber." He bowed his head and kissed her cold lips for the first time. "A life for a life. Dark magic...This is my price, Rae." and he kissed her one last time.

Rae woke up in her warm bed, sitting up with a smile on her face she stretched and got out of bed. She yawned slowly walking to the bathroom to get ready for the day. She brushed her teeth, took a shower and got some fresh clothes on. She was ready for the day and felt like she could take on anything. As she left her room, heading to the dining hall for breakfast Thor spotted her making her way there. His heart ached every time he looked at her. She was here for only one reason: Loki used dark magic to save her life. He also knew the truth: Rae had no memory of Loki. It would seem that was price he paid other than his life. This dark magic could be overcome though. If Rae were to someday remember Loki he would return and Rae would still be able to keep her life. It would only worked though if she loved Loki back. It's been three months since that day though and Rae showed no sign of remembering.

Rae went through her day with her regular routines and seemed to always keep her spirits up. It was heart-wrenching for everyone to watch her everyday, walking around, talking, laughing and being happy. Everyone knew what Loki had done and none of them knew how to feel about it and nor could they tell Rae what had happened. Siff tried to tell her just a few days after and Rae's memories back-fired on her, making her pass out and when she awoke she remembered nothing of Siff told her. Rae had to figure it out on her own. No magic could help with that now.

On her free time Rae returned to her room and usually picked out a good book to read. Her favorite was a blue leather bound book, a romance. She swiped her hand across the cover and sighed. For some reason she didn't feel like reading and put the book down on her dresser and only to hear it fall to the floor. She sighed and rolled her eyes, bending down to pick it up. Something caught her attention though from behind the dresser. It was shiny and green. She reached her hand behind the dresser and pulled out a necklace. Rae gave it an odd look, as if she had seen this before, yet she couldn't recall where or how she got it. She rubbed the green crystal with her thumb, trying to remember why she had this and if it was really hers in the first place. Rae shrugged her shoulders and put the necklace on. She stood up and eyed herself in the mirror. It looked perfect on her. Whoever picked it out did a great job.

Suddenly a man with slicked back black hair appeared behind her for just a second. Her heart jumped a little and she grabbed the necklace. Her mind went blank for a split second and all she could see was that man's face. He was standing next to a tree...he was saying something to her but she couldn't make out what he was saying. "Loki..." Rae heard her own voice and came back to her senses. "Loki..." she said again. Then it hit her: all her memories of him flooding back to her. "Oh Gods! Loki!" She bolted out of her bedroom door and ran down the hall as fast as she could, tears filling up her eyes. All she could think about was him and she knew only one place to go: the tree.

As Rae neared the tree she was almost afraid to go under it, not sure what to expect and if Loki would even be there. She held on to her necklace, her heart pounding. She heard some shuffling and her hopes got high. She smiled. "Loki?" She made her way under the tree in hopes to see Loki standing there. Her heart fell to her stomach though when she realized that it was just a rabbit and it scurried away as soon it saw Rae. Her body went stiff, her heart hurting more than ever now and hot tears slowly coming down her face. Rae kept her hands clasped together and close to her chest. She was shaking now. Thunder roared through the sky and she soon heard the rain hitting the ground. The peaceful sound was not helping her emotions though and she felt like breaking. Had she took too long? Was Loki completely gone now? And she still had no clue what he was going to tell her. She didn't even get the chance to tell him how she really felt either. That moment seemed so fuzzy to her and she wished could remember more. "I'm sorry..." she said aloud.  
"For what?" said a voice. Rae slowly turned and gasped a little. "Do I have to ask again?" said Loki, standing there and looking as well as he ever did before with a little smirk slapped on his face. Rae didn't answer him though and she ran into his arms. Loki slowly put his arms around her and held her tight. "I thought I had lost you for good." he said.  
Rae rubbed her face in his chest. "You...are such an idiot."  
Loki laughed a little. "Rae." he spoke her name softly. "I did what I had to do. I couldn't lose you."  
"But I lost you." she said. "And I couldn't even remember for the longest time. And when I finally did...it hit me so hard, I could hardly take it. I only knew one thing to do and that was to come here."  
Loki kissed her forehead and rubbed her cheek. "I'm sorry, Rae. Do you forgive me?"  
Rae looked up him, her eyes red from her tears and her cheek wet. "You did what you felt was right. There is nothing to forgive, but only to be thankful for."  
Loki looked at her with caring eyes and rubbed her wet cheeks dry and kissed her eyes. His warm lips felt nice on her skin. Rae got excited and surprisingly kissed Loki's cheek. Loki smiled and held on to her tighter now and pressed his lips on hers. Rae moaned and almost melted in Loki's kiss. "I love you." Loki whispered in her ear and kissed her neck, sending shivers down Rae's spine. "I love you too." she told him and they went back to kissing, the tree hiding them like all the other times before.

**Reviews would be lovely, thank you :)**


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